Brotherly Love: A Dance For Everyone, Including Special Needs
By Ukee Washington
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Leaving high school can be a lonely time. It's hard to make friends in the adult world. Young people with special needs have an even tougher time. As Ukee Washington shows us, there's now a place where they can go. It all started with parents who want their kids to enjoy young adulthood like everyone else: on the dance floor.
The Friday night party is hopping at Maureen M. Welch Elementary School in Churchville, Bucks County. Everyone will tell you it's a good time, if you can hear them over the music.
"If I didn't have this dance, I wouldn't be doing anything Friday nights," Alyssa House of Doylestown said.
Most of the young adults at this dance have special needs: physical limitations, autism, Down syndrome.
"Adults with disabilities and kids with disabilities, they have a really hard time with socializing, making friends," said Robin Young of Churchville, whose 27-year-old daughter Hannah has Down syndrome. Hannah also loves music like N*SYNC and Backstreet Boys. Robin and other volunteers started monthly dances with the help of the Lower Bucks Family YMCA specifically for young people like Hannah.
"To listen to some music and have that chance to dance and be like everybody else is really important," said the YMCA's Shannon Connolly. "You see people who come in, who don't know anyone from this group, partner up with other people, and they start dancing and they start having a terrific time."
Parents and caregivers enjoy a night out, too. "It's like a wedding," Robin said. "The adults will be up dancing."
Attendees pay five dollars. YMCA members are free. Donations pay for the snacks, the rental, and the DJ, and the young people pay them back with joy. Each monthly dance has a theme like Spring Fling or Crazy Hat Dance.
If you want to find out about upcoming dances, go to www.lbfymca.org
You can also download the latest dance information flyer at http://www.lbfymca.org/docs/Special_Oppertunities_Dance_Flyer.pdf
